on Romans 12.1-2

"If life is aimless, stagnant, fruitless, lacking in content, it is because we are not entering by experience into the richness of God's will. The commandment of God is exceeding broad. There is not a moment of life that the will of God does not command, no circumstance that it does not fill with meaning if we are responsive to the fullness of his revealed counsel for us."
-JOHN MURRAY

trust in the LORD with all my heart

it's time to stop thinking that i know what's going on with my life. you'd think with me being the one living it, that i'd have a clue, but i don't. what's the proverb? "many are the plans of man, but the Lord directs his steps."
my vacation didn't go the way i supposed it would. not that it was bad; it was in fact very refreshing in its challenges. my time spent with Luke in Texas and after getting back to the DR brought us to the decision that we were most likely not going to be together long term (aka marriage) and therefore should no longer date. it was a tough but peace-giving goodbye -- i'll no longer have his very good friendship, yet all the wondering of this past year is no longer taxing my mind and heart. this was a difficult concept to explain to 10 teenage girls -- 2 people who really like and enjoy oneanother, at marrying ages, breaking it off. i've been praying that it could be used as an example of...something....i'm not sure what just yet. i know that in faith we began courting and in faith we've stopped. by grace we served oneanother and by grace we parted. i know that just because someone is incredible doesn't mean you're supposed to be with them. and i know that Hebrews says that marriage is sacred and to be honored; not something anyone should enter into lightly, but be certain of and crazy about with all their being. i'm sure more lessons will come to me as time goes by. this i know for now - "to lean not on my own understanding."

back in the groove of things

i've been back at work for over a week now. the transition into structure went smoothly, but i'm still trying to get the hang of the new work i've taken on. it seems like i'm shopping and cooking all the time. some of the meals have taken up to THREE HOURS! i've been showering twice a day because i hate smelling like the food after cooking it for so long. i've never been much of a baker, but i made bread last night for the first time. all this to say that things are definitely different for me - working with new staff and girls, and having a new role - but i'm still loving the ministry to these kids.
i've been encouraged lately too, thinking about how ministry isn't something you do, it is just something we are and live as God's offspring. we are ministers, so whether we're doing formal "ministry" to a specific group or just living life or are bedridden or are a student in a program for rebellious teenagers (and think you should be the one ministered to all the time), we would be missing a very high calling if we forfeited the privilege to minister.